Portland business owner in battle over bathroom access

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PORTLAND, Ore. - Edan Trump says it all started back in February, when he took a break between clients at his hair studio to go to the public bathroom down the hall.

“I have limited time to use the restrooms,” Trump said. “So I went to use the restroom. It was busy. I couldn't get in. And so I went back and I waited a few more minutes and a lady came out of the men's room. And I says 'Um, that's the men's room.' And she goes 'yeah, the women's was full.'”

Trump thought that was strange, so he had a female employee check the women's restroom.

“And she went in, and she came back out and she said 'there's not a single person in there,” he said.

It happened again and again.

He even recorded a video of one woman coming out of the men's restroom.

Trump talked to the owner of the business the women were coming from.

“And asked them to please stop doing that,” said Trump. “So it escalated from there. And she started having the other people she works with - female people - start using the restroom, the men's room, as well.”

When Trump complained to the building's property managers, they wrote back saying the company "…requests that you refrain from personally attempting to enforce the proper use of these restrooms by other tenants. While we understand your frustration with this matter, it is not appropriate nor can it be tolerated that you confront other tenants about this matter."

Trump says a Portland police officer told him there was no law against women using men's bathrooms.

In fact, in Portland, there is a law against that. Under section 14A of Portland's city code it's illegal for men to be in women's public restrooms.

The law also bans women from using men's restrooms.

Trump says the issue is important because he can only take bathroom breaks between clients at his hair studio.

As a gay man he's also been bullied for much of his life, and he says this time he's standing his ground.

“You know, everyone should have the right to use the restroom,” Trump said. “I mean, it's kind of that simple.”